Pain
by Dawn Destiny
Summary: What would make Yeul tell Lightning something so cruel in her DLC? Just an idea that came to me. I couldn't quite decide which genre it best fit into, so I didn't give it one. Please R&R.


**A/N ... I obviously don't own FFXIII-2... yeah that's it.**

She'd tried to stop them. She'd tried being hostile, being kind, even going as far as to explain everything to them in hopes that they'd turn back. When the young pink-haired woman fell, when his heart was shattered, she wanted to cry. She wanted to scream and thrash and punch anything she could for all the pain in his eyes. Each of her, all different, but each still the same, could feel it hundreds of times over. She wanted to hold him, tell him things would be better. Noel, her guardian angel, her hope, was breaking in front of her eyes.

She had not wanted this. Caius acted for her sake, but she had not wanted it. Yeul couldn't breathe as she watched Noel's pain. Who could she blame for such tragedy? Who could she blame but herself?

"Lightning," she murmured under her breath. "She's the cause of all this."

Hatred flooded her, something she hadn't felt in a long time. All the pain, all the loss she'd endured. She thought it had meant something, but no, the goddess Etro had to keep her favorite warrior _safe_. Claire "Lightning" Farron was the reason any of this pain had to exist. Because of her, Caius had destroyed so much, because of her, Yeul herself had had to suffer countless deaths for the sake of the timeline, and because of her… Because of her Noel was suffering again.

Yeul shook her head angrily, wiping away tears she didn't even realize she'd shed. Why would she cry? After all, in her other lives crying was just a useless method of grief, and why grieve when what's going to happen is for the greater good?... Except it wasn't. Noel had known all along that the entire operation was pointless and sad. Hatred burned Yeul's heart as she made her way to Valhalla. Lighting was there of course, riding across open land. The pain hidden beneath the woman's eyes made her angrier. What right did she have to sadness when she was the cause of it all?

"Let my sister go," Lightning demanded, pointing her sword dangerously. How dare she, after all the pain she'd caused, act so horrendously superior! Yeul wanted to destroy her. She wanted Lightning to feel as much pain as she had. Instead she remained calm, stoic even, as blackness swirled around her.

"By what right do you demand her release?" Yeul questioned, watching darkness swallow the woman. "Serah's death is your doing." Etro was foolish to choose such a warrior. Etro was a foolish, reckless goddess. All the pain, all the sorrow, and for what? Nothing good came of it. "Serah's death is your doing," the seeress repeated. "At your bidding, she began her journey… and thus her life was lost. It was you. You are to blame for this doom."

Yeul's voice would not continue, Lightning was gone. Deep inside, she knew Lightning would not be so easily struck down. Her hope would carry her through chaos, but Yeul was not so strong. What could she do when her purpose was gone? What could she do when she could not comfort the one she loved enough to die for? In her solitary place, her lonely place, she finally fell to her knees and sobbed, her face buried in her hands. Her hatred was drowned in sadness that spanned over lifetimes. This time, she was truly alone. This time, she wanted to die.

She stayed there for a long time, what seemed like an eternity. When the tears stopped, dry sobs still shook her small frame, echoing in the emptiness around her. A hand landed softly on her shoulder and she looked up, eyes red and heart-broken. Yeul's jade eyes widened slightly and she placed her own hand over the one on her shoulder. Looking up she saw a light, shining so brightly that she let herself be helped up slowly. The hand on her shoulder pulled her closer and she felt a strong, muscled pair of arms hold her closely. Tears welled up in her eyes again and she wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered through her tears, pressing against him tightly. He just held her tighter, not saying a word. He understood. Her hope was back, if only for the moment. They knew, better than anyone, that a moment is better than no time at all though. After all the pain and sadness, they needed a moment.

**A/N Oh God... What... I'm sorry, I can't even... *ahem* I know it's short. It's an idea that came to me in the car when I was thinking about Lightning's DLC and... Yeah. You can thank the song Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy for putting my brain in such a mood... Please review.**


End file.
